BLACKWATER team owner Dioceldo Sy has personally batted for PBA officer-in-charge Willie Marcial to be promoted full-time as commissioner.

Sy said he can’t think of any person capable of running the league than the 54-year-old Marcial, the long-time external affairs and communications chief who found himself thrust in the limelight following the events that led to Chito Narvasa's resignation as commissioner.

“I really feel Mr. Marcial can do the job,” he said on Friday, hours before Blackwater’s scheduled Philippine Cup game against Barangay Ginebra at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“I have no personal interest. I just wanted the best for the PBA.”

Marcial has given himself a month to be the league’s temporary caretaker pending the creation of a search committee takes to look for candidates for the commissionership.

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While a lot of names have been floated, no official candidate has been identified by the board.

Sy said the league can spare itself a lot of trouble by appointing Marcial as the next commissioner.

“With what’s happening now, Mr. Marcial will be briefing the next commissioner about how to run the league. So bakit pa? It would just be a waste of time. Andiyan na rin naman siya who knows the ins and outs in the PBA,” said the Blackwater executive.

Marcial rose from the ranks, initially serving as league statistician to becoming a member of the old Vintage Enterprises coverage team, until becoming media bureau chief when former commissioner Noli Eala came on board in 2003.

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“I know Mr. Marcia is very capable and he deserves it.”

Sy said what Marcial needs should he be appointed is a good executive assistant.

“I think that’s what he needs, a good assistant. Eric (Castro) could be one, but he currently heads the technical committee, so mabubutas din naman yun kapag lumipat siya,” said Sy.

If ever, Marcial can follow the career path of former commissioner Sonny Barrios.

In 2007, Sonny Barrios was temporarily named OIC after the board couldn’t break a deadlock in the voting between Chito Salud and Lambert Ramos.

Barrios would later be named commissioner when the board couldn’t make a decision on who between Ramos and Salud should be the league’s next chieftain.